Tenebris
by Concentrated Angst
Summary: A darker take on the world of Remnant, where values are questioned, friendships end, and the good guys don't always win. Starts during Volume 2.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

 **Hey everyone. This is something I've had in the works since the end of V3, when I realised the potential RWBY had for weaving a dark story, and wanted to expand on that. This is my first time posting to fanfiction, and also my first RWBY story. I hope you enjoy. If you have any thoughts, criticisms, etc. leave a review!**

 **Over and out!**

* * *

Chapter One

Night had fallen over Vale, and like most of the city, its industrial district was dark and vacant, most of its workers having left for home.

All except one warehouse in particular. If one were to walk past it, it would be blatantly obvious something was going on in there, the constant din of machinery and workers combined with the bright lights making it stand out amongst the string of identical warehouses.

If one were to look inside, they would see White Fang hard at work moving crates of dust, and two individuals in the center of the room in heated discussion.

One was Roman Torchwick, a criminal mastermind with a flair for the dramatic, and across from him was Cinder Fall, an enigmatic figure who'd made a rapid rise through Vale's underworld. She was also the most powerful person he'd ever had the displeasure of meeting.

But Roman, while he had no choice but to go along with her schemes, still would make passive aggressive jabs at Cinder. It simply wasn't in his nature to keep his mouth shut, Cinder noted, not allowing her irritation to show.

Roman twirled his cane, pacing around the room in that ridiculous outfit of his.

"Speaking of which, if you don't mind filling me in on your grand master plan, it might help my next string of robberies go a little smoother!" he said defiantly.

"Oh Roman." Cinder said condescendingly, tracing a finger across his cheek. She felt a twinge of amusement. Cinder demanded total loyalty, and while Mercury and Emerald, both standing behind her, both eagerly obliged, Roman wasn't as much so. But she was in control. She liked that. Try as he might to change that, at the end of the day the crook was nothing more than that. Just putty in her hands, to do as she pleased.

The crook grimaced, noticing her hand warming up to an uncomfortable temperature. Cinder's smile widened. "You'll know what you need when you need to know it. And besides, we're done with dust. Have the White Fang clear out this building. I'll send you coordinates later."

"While that's all well and good, Cindy, that won't be necessary. There's been a bit of a change of plans." A third voice interjected, sounding oddly distorted.

Wait. What was he doing here?

"What do you want, Chroma? Vale is under my jurisdiction." Cinder asked, glaring at the man in front of her, a hand on her hip. He was dressed head to toe in some kind of black bodyarmor. His whole body shimmered when he moved, the harsh artificial lighting reflecting off the organic curves of the armor. The only hint of anyone being inside was the slits of blue light serving as a visor.

"Was under your jurisdiction. I saw how you were handling things back here and couldn't help but step in." Chroma said haughtily.

"I have things perfectly handled here. And this is unacceptable! I-"

Chroma scoffed. "Oh really? Should I not be worried about, say, the colossal failure of the docks incident, or the misstep in Vale? If you can't keep your lapdogs on a leash, then what use are they?"

Emerald glared at the man, but said nothing.

Cinder scowled. "And what makes you think you can waltz in here and alter the plan? She said explicitly I was to be in Vale, not you."

He laughed, the sound coming through the helmet as choking. "And you will be in Vale… under my authority. I already spoke with her, and I've been given express permission to change things up around here."

"And what does that entail, pray tell?"

"I'll tell you later when there are less… security holes around." Chroma said, turning to look at Roman. "For now… watch the news.

* * *

Hunter Onyx Midnight was certainly not an ordinary man, and he liked it that way. He loved the fame his job gave him, and especially how good he was at it.

Just a stroll along Vale's streets earned awed stares at his dark brown hunter garb, the shining metal of his weapons, all of that. He probably got asked to sign something once or twice a week. And that was how he liked it.

For such an extraordinary man, his days were rather ordinary. He hadn't much to do, after all, since he was far too important to risk being sent out on missions. But hey. Get paid bucketloads of lien for sitting around was fine by him. That old fart Ozpin was a fool, but he was more than happy to take advantage of that.

But his pay fit his skill level. He was strong, in fact, strong enough to sit at #12 amongst Remnant's employed hunters. So when he found a little crime happening here and there, he dealt with it. Didn't take much effort on his part anyhow.

Today was no exception, especially when it was another dust robbery. A string of them had plagued Vale for months now, so putting a stop to it would almost certainly give him major recognition.

He grinned, striding into the dust shop with a spring in his step. He made his presence known to the thugs around the counter.

"Hey, fellas. Listen, I suggest you surrender," he said, deploying his katars with a whirring of gears, "...before I'm forced to do anything rash."

The thugs froze, before running out the back of the shop. Onyx rushed to stop them, but an arm across his body stopped him.

"Wha-"

He was roughly shoved backwards with surprising strength, crashing through a display. It was only then that he noticed the man that had stepped through the store's shelves. The man's whole body was covered in plates of black polymer, complete with a helmet covering his face.

"Onyx Midnight. 12th ranked hunter in the world." the man said, his voice distorted electronically by the helmet.

The man in question smirked. "That'd be me. And listen, pal. I think you and I both know that I'll win this fight. So just stand down and turn yourself in."

The man in front of him drew his blade. It was a rather plain thing, with sleek curves, and no hints of any sort of mechashift technology, sans the extremely thin seams travelling down the blade.

* * *

Yang was bored. She'd had a slow day, and it had just hit that afternoon lull. Her teammates were too. Blake was reading, Ruby was fast asleep, and Weiss was studying, though Weiss studying didn't really mean much. Yang yawned. The most she had to do was flip through TV channels, but there was nothing on. Nothing was interesting.

Until the news came on.

"...dust robbery in Vale ends in the murder of famous hunter Onyx Midnight by a mysterious man in black armor. This man has been identified as well known rogue hunter and assassin Chroma. His whereabouts are unknown at this time, but he is armed and extremely dangerous. Citizens are advised to stay indoors. Back to you, Lisa."

"Thank you, Kevin. Here we have famed politician and writer, Doctor Arthur Watts." A man with a distinctive outfit and in particular distinctive facial hair appeared on screen. "Doctor Watts, you said this incident shows the 'danger' in Remnant right now? What did you mean by this?"

"Yes. Well," Watts said in a clearly English, baritone voice, "Frankly… it shows how defenseless we citizens are against the hostile forces of Remnant. Look at the Vale incident. The 12th strongest hunter in remnant, taken out with minimal effort. Stopping a dust robbery, no less. I find it appalling how little could be done to stop that man. It makes it blatantly obvious how incompetent Ozpin's force of hunters are in the defense of the-"

The scroll turned off.

"That's enough." Weiss said.

The room was dead silent. Blake's book lay forgotten, and Ruby was wide awake. The room was seized by a mix of frustration and skittishness. Yang was the first to speak.

"Dust robbery? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Torchwick?" Ruby responded.

"Yeah."

Blake's brow furrowed with concern. "This isn't typical White Fang behaviour. They normally work in the shadows, not in broad daylight like this."

Yang turned. "Should we do something?"

"I'll have to do more investigating," Blake replied, "But we need to find out why-"

"Are you insane?!" Weiss butted in angrily, "Do you even realise the danger of the situation? We're huntresses-in-training! We're just over a semester into our first year! We'll just get ourselves hurt!"

"Well, what do we do then? Sit around and do nothing?" Blake retorted.

"Yes!"

"We can't just stand by and let this happen! The situation is getting worse and it's only going to get worse if we don't do something!"

"Blake," Ruby said, softly. "Weiss is right. This is too dangerous for us. Ozpin told us not to get involved."

"Fine." Blake stood up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Weiss huffed.

"Out."

Blake slammed the door, angrily stomping down the hall. It was fine. If they weren't willing to help her fight against the White Fang, she'd do it alone.

She was more used to doing things that way anyhow.

She rounded the corner, bumping into someone. She looked up and scowled, a scathing remark on the tip of her tongue, but didn't see a face. She looked higher. Higher. Finally, she realized the sheer size of the absurdly tall figure in front of her. He had a worn battle helmet on, matching the armor he was wearing. The first thing that she thought was Chroma from the helmet, but the heights weren't even close. Someone peeked from around the bulk of the titan in front of her. He was short, and not comparatively either. He had messy dark red hair.

"Sorry. This is Iron. He doesn't really talk. I'm Hong," he said, "We're new around here."

"Atlas?" Blake asked, looking at the uniform.

Hong smiled. "That's right. Can you show us where the lockers are?"

"I'm doing something right now. Maybe you can find someone else."

Blake walked off, ignoring the cries of indignation. She didn't really want to deal with anything at the moment. Besides.

She had work to do.

* * *

It was night again. By the time Cinder arrived at the safehouse, Chroma was already there maintaining his weapon. The various segments and components were scattered across the table, revealing a dazzling array of circuitry and dust crystals. He faced her.

"Everyone's gone now. This won't be necessary."

He took off the helmet, showing her his face for the first time. She hadn't seen it before, not even back in the Grimmlands during the meeting with Salem.

"So you've gotten another member of the Inner Circle involved with this? I thought Watts was supposed to be in Mistral."

"I've 'borrowed' him only for the Vale phase of the plan. I've been given jurisdiction to by _her._ "

Cinder was silent, before asking, with a twinge of irritation:

"What did you accomplish with your little jaunt in Vale anyhow?"

"Oh Cindy." He stroked her cheek.

"You'll know what you need when you need to know."

Her expression clearly showed what she thought of him at the moment. Anyone else, she would've incinerated on the spot. He snorted.

"Sorry. But you'll understand in time. Now."

The final parts of his weapon clicked into place. He sheathed the blade with a metallic rasp.

"I've got hunters to kill."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

General James Ironwood was many things.

Subtle, Ozpin mused, wasn't one of them.

Three enormous Atlesian airships had parked themselves on the outskirts of Beacon, heralding the general's arrival.

From high up in the academy's clock tower, Beacon's headmaster Ozpin and his deputy watched the ships land.

"Ironwood certainly loves bringing his work wherever he travels." Glynda said, distaste lacing her words.

"Well," Ozpin replied, "running an academy and a military makes him a busy man. But yes, those are a bit of an eyesore."

The door beeped.

"Come in."

Ironwood strode into the room, a warm smile on his face.

"Ozpin!"

"Hello, general."

The two shook hands.

"Please, drop the formalities. It's been too long. And Glynda! It has certainly been too long since we last met."

"Oh, James," she said, before her demeanor abruptly went sour. "I'll be outside."

"She hasn't changed a bit."

The room was silent, besides Ozpin pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"James. I know why you've come here."

"Listen, Oz, if what Qrow said is true, then-"

"Then we will handle it tactfully. It's the Vytal Festival. A time to celebrate unity and peace. So I suggest that you not scare people by transporting hundreds of soldiers halfway across the continent."

"That's not the only reason why I'm here."

"Oh?"

"It's the incident in Vale several days ago."

"But I'm sure it'll be of little conce-"

"Oz." Ironwood interrupted. "It's happened again."

"Where? And why haven't I heard about it?" Ozpin asked, his grip tightening on his mug.

"In Atlas. We covered it up the best we could to avoid creating a panic. Myrtle Morningstar. Dead."

"The 11th ranked huntress worldwide, if I recall." Concern began to show on Ozpin's face. "He would seem to be climbing the rankings. Have you contacted the 10th?"

"We've tried, but he's vanished. But what confuses me is why? Why work so openly, in broad daylight, no less?"

"Fear."

"Hm?"

"It discredits the hunters as protectors. Discrediting the hunters makes the people feel unsafe. People feeling unsafe makes them scared. And fear causes people to make mistakes. It also brings with it… the Grimm."

Ozpin stood up. "I will speak with the council of Vale. I would recommend doing the same for Atlas. Have them ensure that no news of these incidents reaches the people. We cannot afford to have a mass panic on our hands, now can we?"

Ironwood nodded. "Understood.

* * *

Blake effortlessly dodged the heavy mace as it slowly moved towards her head, ducking low and kicking the legs of her opponent out from beneath him. He grunted as he hit the ground, dazed, leaving him totally unprepared for Gambol Shroud stabbing him in the chest.

"And that's the match. Good work, Miss Belladonna." Professor Goodwitch announced, "Mister Winchester, I would suggest a more passive fighting style against a faster opponent such as Miss Belladonna here. Don't be so aggressive. It leave openings."

"Sure, whatever," Cardin mumbled as he got up, disgruntled, before making to leave.

"We have time for one more match. Do we have any volunteers?"

One person in the back of the room raised his hand.

"I will."

"And you are?"

He stood up, his stark white Atlesian uniform clearly showing where he hailed from.

"Marcoh, of team Mithril(MIHL)."

"And his opponent will be?"

Weiss' hand shot up. She figured it would be a good time to gauge the competition. The Vytal tournament was right around the corner, after all.

As they both made their way down from the stands, Weiss eyed her opponent up. He was dressed rather plainly, and his face was the type you'd miss in a crowd, with unkempt dark hair. The only thing resembling a weapon on him were his metal bracers, strapped loosely to his forearms.

Weiss stood across from her opponent.

He began bouncing on the balls of his feet, arms dangling at his sides.

Weiss drew Myrtlenaster, holding it in front of her.

"Begin!"

Weiss dashed forward, sword arm outstretched, aiming several thrusts of her blade at his face. The first few he dodged by less than an inch, but the last he swept aside with his bracer.

Weiss immediately drew her rapier back, walking a few steps backwards. Marcoh bridged the gap, ducking under her horizontal slash and unleashing a flurry of punches into her unguarded midriff. She tried to bash his head with the pommel, but he spun out of the way.

A glyph faded into existence at her feet as she charged towards him, the sudden burst in speed catching him off guard, allowing Weiss to score several good hits.

As the battle continued, much of the class was engrossed in the fight between this random exchange student and the esteemed Schnee heiress, mostly due to the fact that the exchange student was holding his own very well.

Yang's attention, however, was not on the fight, but on her partner. Normally, Blake would be watching the fight, giving a few pointers to her teammate after, but she was scribbling things down in a notebook. Come to think of it, it was the same notebook she'd frantically hidden at the beginning of the semester. Looking closer, Blake looked tired. The dark circles under her eyes were obvious.

Something was up, and Yang was going to get to the bottom of it.

A thud coming from the center of the room drew her attention.

Weiss was on the ground, her aura in the red. Marcoh, while not much better, had still managed to earn a victory.

"And Marcoh is the winner. Good work," Glynda said, turning to Weiss, "Miss Schnee. Try not to rely on your glyphs so much. It puts you at a disadvantage when your opponent can match that speed, hence this match's outcome. Class dismissed."

As the class began to funnel out of the room, Marcoh held a hand out to Weiss, silently offering to help her up. She took it, giving him a curt nod.

"Good match. You really did a number on me." Marcoh said, giving her a subdued, but warm, smile.

"Thank you." Weiss said, accepting the compliment graciously. She was used to people trying to butter her up, but this felt genuine.

"I'll catch you later." He said, walking towards his team, which consisted of an enormous armored man, a short man with messy red hair, and a girl in a lavender getup happily snacking on a bag of some snack food.

Weiss made her way towards her own team.

* * *

Yang heard something.

It was very, very late. Too late for any of her teammates to be up. And yet there Blake was, almost silent as she cracked the door open, sneaking down the hallway.

Almost.

This explained everything. Blake's tiredness, her distance from everyone and everything but that notebook and her scroll.

Yang thought for a minute, contemplating going to get help, but decided against it.

Tossing the covers of her bed aside, she quickly threw on some clothes, and, after equipping Ember Celica, followed her partner into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Blake was closer than she'd been so far in her investigations.

The news she heard of a White Fang meeting coming up in a Vale warehouse had been correct. Posing as a new recruit had been laughably easy. All it took was a different outfit, taking off the bow, and of course a grimm mask.

But it wasn't any ordinary meeting it seemed. Roman Torchwick stood on a stage in the front, rallying the crowd with his charms. Normally he'd have been killed on the spot due to his human heritage, but he was able to sway the crowd to his side with relative ease. Blake was anxiously scanning the room, in particular the curtain on the stage, adorned with the crest of the White Fang. She noticed what looked to be a short, rather colorful girl standing next to Torchwick, but her figure suggested an age quite contrary to her height. She noticed something else. Something behind the stage. What looked to be a person in black, standing deathly still.

And then the curtain dropped.

The armored monstrosity standing before her dwarfed the people on stage. It was bristling with cannons and rockets, with cameras and targeting systems dotting its massive steel bulk.

Blake grit her teeth. This was bad. Really bad.

Torchwick gestured to the machine.

"As some of you may have heard, this right here... is Atlas' newest defense against all the scary things in the world. And thanks to my 'employer', we've managed to snag a few before they, uh, 'hit the shelves'".

An Atlesian paladin, if she recalled correctly.

The cheering grew louder, and Roman played this to his advantage, rallying the crowd.

"Will any new recruits please step forward!" The White Fang Lieutenant on stage, a man she knew rather well during her days with the organization, boomed.

Blake panicked. She would be recognized immediately. She frantically began searching for a way out of the room where she wouldn't be noticed. Her eyes flicked to the junction box on the wall leading to the lights. Raising her weapon, she fired a few shots into it, plunging the room into darkness.

* * *

The warehouse was pandemonium, clamoring to find the intruder. The mysterious girl dashed through the crowd, who all tried to stop her. It was obvious, however, that she was far more skilled than any of the faunus recruits and White Fang members present, and slipped through their grasps with relative ease. A window shattered as she made her escape.

Torchwick made to board the Paladin to pursue her, but a hand stopped him. The hand's owner quickly emerged from behind the stage, the blue lights of his visor flickering as it turned on.

"That won't be necessary for one little runaway, Roman. Leave it to me."

* * *

Blake ran through a set of rusty doors. The building she entered had long since been abandoned by whoever its previous owners may have been. Ancient manufacturing equipment sat unused, as it likely had for decades. She found a corner on the second floor. Blake took a few deep breaths, calming herself. She was safe in the maze of Vale's industrial district. They likely wouldn't find her here.

She felt a little on edge, however. There was no way they weren't searching for her. She could only hide, and pray.

Something creaked.

It would've been lost on any human, but to her faunus ears, it was obvious. Someone was in here. Her hand reached towards her weapon, drawing it ever so carefully.

Footsteps. Against the catwalk. They were getting louder. And louder. And louder…

Blake grabbed the woman's face, covering her mouth, and slammed her into the wall, Gambol Shroud pointed at her forehead. She squirmed, muffled complaints coming from beneath her hand. It wasn't until she recognized the distinctive lilac eyes of her "assailant" that she relaxed, releasing Yang from her grip.

"What are you doing here?" Blake demanded. "How did you find me?"

"You're not as quiet as you think you are, you know. I wanted to see where you've been going at this hour. And now I know. You have a lot to tell us when we get back."

"Let's just focus on getting b-" Blake abruptly stopped talking.

"Wh-"

"Sh!"

Yang was silent. She started to hear something. Whoever was in here was trying to mask their presence, but the rusty catwalks made it extremely difficult.

"Yang," Blake whispered, "Did you bring anyone else with you?"

"No…"

A knot of dread began tightening in Blake's gut. Her eyes widened. She cursed.

"Damn it. Is there a fast way out of here?"

"Bumblebee's out back."

"Good. But we'll have to move quietly. Do you understand?"

Yang nodded.

Blake looked around the room. The only thing illuminating the building was the moonlight streaming through the shattered windows. Blake, despite her faunus vision, was unable to see anything. Whoever was pursuing them knew to hide behind objects instead of using the dark.

The unsettling thing about this was it meant they knew her line of sight, which meant…

They already knew where she was.

"Yang?"

The girl in question turned.

"We need to leave. Now-"

The warehouse's lights flickered on, bathing the room in a bright white light. Blake froze. She frantically looked for a way out.

"Over there! The window!" She hissed.

Yang nodded, before making a mad dash out the window, Blake following suit.

"Over here!" Yang yelled, ducking through an alleyway.

Bumblebee was parked on the side of the road, hard to miss with its enormous tires and distinctive paint job.

Yang started the bike up, Blake on the back, tires squealing as she raced down the empty street.

Yang sighed in relief. They were safe. At least that's what she thought.

The rear tire burst after a beam of energy scythed through it and a portion of the wheel. She struggled to regain control, but the bike spun out of control, crashing into a collection of trash bins along the road, both driver and passenger skidding along the asphalt.

Yang groaned, rolling around in pain, before looking up and noticing a lone figure walking down the empty street. He was armored in black, and would've been invisible except for the blue glow of his helmet.

She looked to Blake, who had landed a few feet away.

"Is that...?"

Blake's eyes widened in realization. Gods, Weiss had been right.

She was way out of her league.

She frantically dug through her pockets for her scroll, dialing a number down…

* * *

Ruby wasn't really one to use her scroll much for calls, especially not in the middle of the night.

"H-hello?" she answered sleepily, rubbing an eye with her free hand. "W-what? Blake, I-"

"Ruby Rose, give me one reason why-" Weiss began crankily, stopping when she noticed the expression on Ruby's face.

"We'll get help, don't worry- Blake? Blake? Are you there?" Ruby looked up, fear etched onto her features. "Weiss, we have to go."

* * *

"Go! Get help! Get someone, anyone! Please-GAH!"

The sound of a beam weapon discharging interrupted her. Her scroll laid on the ground, cleanly cut into two halves.

Chroma's blade was split down the middle, revealing a smoking barrel.

"Tsk, tsk. It's rude to call someone in the company of others, you know."

Blake stood up, drawing her weapon, Yang following suit and deploying Ember Celica. Both sides stood motionless, eyeing each other up.

She prayed help would arrive on time.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Blake was the first to act, firing a few shots at Chroma, which he blocked with ease, spinning his weapon around his hand.

No… he didn't block them. He _deflected_ them.

The shots flew back at Blake, ricocheting off his blade, knocking the gun of Gambol Shroud, out of her hand, before the rest hit her torso, her head.

He rocketed forwards, ducking under a punch from Yang, slashing at Blake in what felt like a hundred strikes, finishing with a brutal blow to her head with the Pommel.

Blake skidded backwards. She wasn't able to check her scroll for her aura, but it had dropped significantly.

"Raaaagh!" Yang threw herself forwards, putting her weight into what was sure to be a crushing blow. Chroma spun out of the way effortlessly, the back of his fist coming back around into her skull, his sword following into her back.

She fell flat on her face, caught by total surprise. Just as Chroma raised his weapon to take advantage of Yang's position, Blake saw the opening and took it, but Chroma turned to face her almost instantaneously, parrying every attack she made, before wrapping his arm around her waist and slamming her into the ground.

The asphalt splintered, pebbles of it scattering across the ground nearby as Blake's aura flared, before failing. He raised his blade, only to be tackled by Yang, the two rolling along the ground before she was thrown off by a kick from both of his legs.

He leapt up, somersaulting through the air before his foot slammed onto her head with a crack. Yang grunted, the pain lancing down her spine.

Her fist slammed into his stomach, her hair ablaze, eyes red. He skidded a few yards backwards, unfazed. He sheathed his weapon.

"Not bad. But I'm a busy man, Yang, and I'm pressed for time." He chuckled. "Playtime's over."

What followed was something that would stick with Yang for the rest of her days. She didn't see him explode forwards, the pavement cracking under his feet. She didn't even see him draw his weapon. But he had, and the attacks that followed came so fast she hadn't a chance to block them or get out of the way. He dissolved into a blur, spinning and slashing and stabbing and…

Her aura, despite her semblance, flickered and died, and she hit the ground with a thud. A shot pinged against his blade as Blake frantically tried to delay him.

"Oh please, kit kat. You're going to make me laugh." Blake's eyes widened with realisation. "Oh and I do know your little secret, as do I know you."

"But- but how?"

"We've met before. You just didn't know it. Now. It's time to finish this."

Chroma raised his weapon.

He barely had time to duck before the battleaxe cleaved him in two, the force behind the attack evident from the gust of wind caused by it.

"Children." Peter Port boomed. "I heard you were in a spot of trouble, so I thought I could be of some assistance.

"Yes!" Bartholomew Ooobleck said. "I decided it would be unwise to allow my colleague here to fend for himself on the streets of Vale, so I came to accompany him on this excursion to Vale!"

"Hmph. Beacon's professors show themselves at last." Chroma said, sounding a little intrigued. "As much as I'd like to stay for this, I've got places to go, people to kill, yadda yadda."

"I don't think I can allow you to leave, my boy," Port said, jovially as ever."

He rushed forward, swinging his battleaxe. The hit connected.

Chroma shattered into a million shards, disappearing.

* * *

It'd been a few days since Blake and Yang had been attacked in Vale.

The two of them were, thankfully, unharmed, though they were very shaken up. Of course, upon their arrival back, they were bombarded by worried questions from Ruby and angry scolding from Weiss.

Life would continue as usual. At least, that's how it seemed at first. Yang didn't seem to notice, but Blake, being the observant person she was, noticed a sort of tension pervading the air among Beacon's staff. Particularly between Professor Goodwitch and the headmaster.

Then she had been called into Ozpin's office. Something was definitely up.

Ozpin hadn't arrived yet. The room was silent, the ever-present ticking of Beacon's clock tower the only sound she could hear.

The door slid open, announcing the headmaster's arrival.

"Good evening, Miss Belladonna. I'd like to apologize for calling you in at such an inopportune time, but alas."

"What've you called me here for?"

"Several days ago, you were attacked by Chroma in Vale. Is this true?"

"Y-yes."

"Was he with anyone? Any accomplices of any sort?"

"He didn't seem to have anyone working under him. He was at a White Fang rally, hiding. I'd guess he was some sort of backup bodyguard or something."

"Or perhaps he was… supervising?"

"What do you mean?"

"He was never the type to work _for_ someone weaker than him. And Torchwick, while a formidable opponent, certainly couldn't hold his own in a fight against Chroma. Hm. He's planning something. But what?"

"You know him?

"Not much more than anyone else. He's strong, stronger than anyone I've ever faced, except for one person, if you could call her that. All I really know about him is he is merciless and cunning. And his semblance is Imitation.

"Imitation?"

"He can copy anything, be it fighting styles, semblances, personalities, down to the letter."

The room was silent.

"Blake. There's something else you need to know."

"What is it?"

"Chroma never leaves anything unfinished. Be on your guard. You are dismissed, Miss Belladonna."

* * *

"Watts! We were told explicitly by Ozpin to keep this incident under wraps!"

He scoffed, incredulous. "And keep the people from knowing about the danger they're in? That would be wrong in every sense of the word, and I don't think it's right to keep-"

"Every time we've had a warning from Ozpin, it's turned out to be right! Every time we've ignored him, we've had things go wrong! This time is no different!"

"Pray tell, did he even give you a reason for this? Or did he just contact you and tell you what to do?"

"Does he have to? Arthur, with all due respect, Ozpin is the greatest strategical mind I've ever seen, and-"

"And what? He's playing you, leading you around like a dog on a leash. Well I for one don't plan to allow him to order us around. I will stand for what I believe is right, and that is to let the people know what is going on! Good night, sir!"

He ended the call, his scroll's tone signaling the line had been disconnecting. Watts scoffed. It was always too easy to dupe political figureheads, particularly those oafs they called councilors. He turned to the black armored figure in the corner, who was leaning against one of his bookshelves.

"Good work, Watts. You've been instrumental in our plans so far."

"I should hope so. You've used up much of my time as is."

"Well, that's not stopping. I'm gonna need you to use your position to your advantage and play up the events that'll occur over the next few weeks."

"The attack is still happening during the Vytal Festival, I'd assume?"

"Yes. Until then, play up political tension between Atlas and Vale."

"I have to say. You've done well planning this scheme out. I'm almost impressed."

"You're impressed now?" Chroma grinned. "Just wait to see what happens next. Good night, Arthur."

"Farewell, Chroma."

Chroma sliced the air in front of him, a swirling red portal appearing, before he disappeared from Watts' study.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **The plot thickens. I don't really have much to say here, but if you have any thoughts, criticisms, let me know in a review. It's a good way to help improve the story.**

 **Over and out!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The halls of Beacon were alive with excitement and anticipation. After all, the dance was next week.

The cafeteria was alive with animated chatter and an overall happier tone, despite the events of the past few weeks.

Blake, however, was still on edge, with what Ozpin had said to her. When she told Yang, she'd dismissed it casually.

"Finish the job? Psh. Don't worry about it, Blake! We're in Beacon! It's plenty safe here!"

Yang clearly didn't see the danger they were facing. It was up to Blake to deal with it. She would continue her investigations. She'd just have to be more careful.

She looked over to the rest of her team and JNPR, who Weiss was introducing to one of the visiting teams from Atlas.

"...and this is Marcoh."

"Hey everyone."

"Aren't you the one that beat Weiss last week?"

"That'd be me, yep."

She grinned. "And you fight hand-to-hand too. I'll have to spar with you sometime."

"I'm looking forward to it. Oh and who's the last member of your team? She seems a little shy."

"Oh. That's Blake."

She looked up at the man standing in front of her. He looked ordinary enough, but something felt… off about him to her. She gave him a curt nod, before returning to her book.

"A quiet one, huh? I'm well versed in dealing with those, right Iron?" He thumped his fist against the gargantuan man's armor. He nodded sagely. He didn't seem to be eating, quite contrary to his violet themed partner, who was noisily eating some bag of snack food.

"Oh and this is Thistle." Marcoh said, patting her on the back, much to her discontent.

"We're team MIHL."

Ruby smiled. "It's always nice to meet a fellow team leader." She appeared by his side in a burst of rose petals. "Let's exchange embarrassing stories about our teammates!" she whispered, just audible enough for the rest of the table to hear.

Team RWBY collectively groaned.

Marcoh laughed. "Well, there was this one time…" He began.

The two teams bonded over the rest of the lunch period, then the next, then the next. Soon after they'd been introduced to JNPR, and MIHL became very closely knit with all the members of the two teams.

Except for one.

"Hey, Blake? You've been strangely quiet lately." Ruby said, looking a little concerned. "Even by your standards. Are you feeling okay? Something you wanna talk about?"

"I'm just… I'm worried. I'm worried about what Ozpin said." Blake replied, looking a little glum. "Also, something about Marcoh puts me off."

"He's a nice guy, Blake. You just haven't gotten to know him too well." Ruby frowned. "You've been letting the thing that happened in Vale get to your head, and I don't think that's good for you. The dance is coming up! Now's the time to relax! Forget about all your other problems! They can wait! Have a little fun!"

"But can I really relax and have fun when there's this threat looming over my head? There's bigger things to worry about than some dance. It's my safety, your safety, everyone's safety!"

"Blake, I don't think anything's gonna happen next week. Just give yourself a few days. It'll be good for you to take a break from all that. Slow down a bit, smell the roses, you know?"

"Hm. I suppose you're right." Blake smiled, a rare sight in the past few weeks. "Thanks, Ruby."

* * *

It was the day of Beacon's dance. A day of anxiousness, excitement, and many a last minute proposal.

Weiss was one of them.

She found Marcoh walking alone in one of the corridors, luckily.

She wouldn't have known what to do if he'd been with a teammate.

"Hello Marcoh… listen, I know this is a little unorthodox, but I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me to the dance tonight?"

He smiled, the picture of confidence. "Why I'd love to."

"Great. You aren't one of those 'fashionably late' types, are you?" she half joked, the pair laughing as they both walked down the hall together.

Not too far behind them, a disappointed Jaune Arc trudged off, leaving a flower and his hopes on the ground behind him.

Suddenly, a voice came from an empty classroom next to him.

"Jaune. We really need to talk."

"Gah!" Jaune exclaimed as he was forcibly yanked by the arm through the doorway.

* * *

"Alright! So you just missed out on getting with Weiss!" Hong said, strangely enthusiastic for the situation.

"Yeah," Jaune said glumly. "I missed out. She was really the only girl I know that I-"

"Shhhhhhhh…" Hong said, a finger against his lips. "Don't hit me with that 'only girl' crap, man. There's someone near and dear to you that's wanted to be with you for a looong time buddy."

"But I-"

"Shhhhhhhh…"

"Ok, fine! Who is it?"

"Who do you think?"

"Uhhhhhh… I dunno, Yan-"

"Gah! You, my friend, are denser than a block of lead! Her name starts with a 'p,' she's a redhead, and she's fallen head over heels for you."

"Pyrrha?"

"DING! We have a winner! Someone get this man the jackpot!"

"Uhhhh, okay. But Pyrrha couldn't possibly feel that way about me. I'm too… well, me."

"Not with that attitude she won't! Now stop moping, go forth and conquer, Jaune!"

He was violently shoved out of the classroom door, which slammed behind him.

Jaune trudged away, towards his dorm. He supposed it was worth a try.

* * *

The dance was on, and Blake couldn't have been happier. Ruby had been right, so right.

Jaune, despite his initial doubts, had shown up to the dance with Pyrrha, their arms linked in a way that suggested they were a little more than just friends.

Marcoh was ballroom dancing with Weiss in an expectedly old fashioned way, fitting to her upbringing.

Marcoh's team was having a good time, at least in their own way. Iron was standing awkwardly against the wall, seeming more like decoration than anything. And he hadn't bothered to take off the armor, sticking out like a sore thumb in the crowd of formally dressed students.

Hong was complaining rather loudly about Thistle's flavor dust getting all over his clothes when they had tried to dance.

Penny… well… she seemed to be enjoying herself, in her awkward, stunted way.

Ruby was happy, watching everything go so... right. Everyone was together, happy. It was looking to be a great night.

"There's something nice about it, huh?" Yang asked.

"Yeah. I'm glad everything's alright. Even though we've had a rough past week, everyone's happy now."

"Yeah."

They were silent for a while, taking it all in.

"I'm gonna go get some fresh air." Ruby said, stepping outside, when she noticed something happening at the CCT...

* * *

Cinder Fall grinned. It was looking to be a great night.

The operation had happened without a hitch, and except for that Rose girl showing up, she'd successfully installed the virus in the CCT.

"How'd it go?" Chroma asked, his voice hushed.

They'd both agreed to meet off to the side. Nobody would notice them here. The illusions he was projecting would ensure that, besides.

"It went splendidly. I think we're ready to proceed.

"Excellent work." He smirked. "Now if you don't mind, I've got a dance to get back to. After all,"

He turned, walking towards the party.

"The night is still young."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **This chapter was difficult to write for me. I wasn't really sure how to present Beacon's dance in a way that would move the plot along, so I decided to use it as it was in the show: fleshing out the characters. As always, let me know what you think in a review. If you had any criticisms, let me know so I can fix them next time.**

 **Over and out!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Come in."

The doors to Ozpin's office slid open with a hiss, and Qrow Branwen strode in. He spoke, his voice rough.

"Oz. You called me back early."

"Yes. As helpful as your reconnaissance in the Grimmlands has been, something more pressing has arisen."

"And what's that?"

"Chroma's resurfaced." Ozpin filled him in on the events of the past few weeks, the killings and Blake and Yang's encounter.

"If he's actively been working, then we've got a problem. The last we saw of him was when Ruby had first started Signal, and that was the Shade academy fiasco. Have you covered up the incidents like last time?"

"Yes. James and I have been working to block any news outlets' reporting, but we've had some interference from a Doctor Arthur Watts."

"The politician?"

"Yes. Unfortunately he's far too influential to bypass, and his calls for 'justice and freedom of the press' have resonated with many smaller ruling bodies across Remnant. Despite his noble intent, he would be hindering more than helping us as a whole."

"So that's how many dead hunters?"

"Five. And the public knows about every. Single. One. Grimm activity has risen sharply. But something more worrying has come up. And that's why you're here, Qrow."

Ozpin stood up, and began pacing around the room.

"Chroma's activity has been centered around Vale. I think you know what I'm worried about."

"He's coming after you again."

"That's not the main issue. I feel I'll be perfectly capable of defending myself against him. It's Amber that I'm worried about."

"You think he might be connected to whoever's after the maiden's power?"

"Almost certainly. He also has ties with the White Fang and Roman Torchwick. Which is why I'd like you to supervise team RWBY's mission to Mountain Glenn."

Qrow raised an eyebrow.

"Why Mountain Glenn? Surely you couldn't be expecting to find anything in that graveyard, could you?"

"A recent spike in Grimm activity points towards concentrated negative energy in the area. I'd guess a large group harboring hatred and ill intent. Does that ring any bells, Qrow?"

"Why involve my niece's team at all? With all due respect, Oz, I think this is too much for them to handle."

"Which is why you'll be watching them. I feel as if you'll be most adequate for a reconnaissance mission like this."

"Alright." Qrow said, albeit begrudgingly. "I've learned to trust your judgement over the years, Oz."

"As have I yours. Good luck, Qrow."

* * *

"Uncle Qroooooww!"

The just under 100 pounds of huntress barreled into him, clinging to him like a small child. He laughed.

"Hey, kiddo. This is your team?"

"Yeah! That's Blake, and that's Weiss."

"Alright. I've heard a lot about you two, from both Yang and Ruby. I'll be in the Bullhead." He turned, taking a swig of his flask as he strolled over to the craft. "We'll be going in a few minutes."

* * *

Night had fallen, and the majority of team RWBY lay sleeping around a fire. Not Ruby though. She didn't feel tired at all.

Evidently, Uncle Qrow didn't either. He'd been keeping watch the whole night, with no signs of exhaustion.

"Hey," Ruby said, sitting down next to him.

"Hey." He responded.

They sat there like that for a few minutes, the fire crackling behind them.

"Did you ever hear what happened here?" Qrow asked, out of the blue.

"No. I do know it was a failed settlement, though."

"Mmhm. The last great effort to expand out into Grimm territory. For a while it worked. But Mountain Glenn lacked many of the natural barriers Vale has, and soon after, thanks to a combination of different factors, there was a breach."

He took a swig of his flask.

"As much as we tried, we couldn't save everyone. And since Mountain Glenn connects directly to Vale… well… we had to seal it off. So many people died that day."

"Why're you telling me this?"

"Well… listen, Ruby. You're a lot like your mother. She'd always save everyone or die trying. If she were to fight something much stronger than her, even if it meant certain death, she wouldn't run. Because that's just what she thought was right. But that's not how the world works. You have to cut your losses, think about things in a more utilitarian way. Case in point, where we are right now. If we hadn't sealed off Mountain Glenn, then Vale would have been destroyed."

"Couldn't we have tried to save everyone though? We let the people here die, but nobody really tried to save them. You say that you shouldn't think about this emotionally. But is there anything wrong with that? It's not right to leave people behind, or to run from a challenge. It's not what a hero does!"

"Oh Ruby." Uncle Qrow laughed, but there was no humor in it. "I think the sooner you understand heroes don't exist, the better it is for you. Listen. Your mother was a great woman, Ruby. But I don't want you to throw your life away like she did."

"Throw my life away? Wait… you know how Mom died?"

Qrow froze.

Ruby raised her voice. "Have you been lying t-"

Qrow interrupted her. The friendly, cordial expression on his face had changed, and he looked dead serious. "This conversation is over, Ruby."

"But-"

"It's over."

With that, Qrow stalked off to his tent, an unreadable expression on his face.

Ruby wouldn't get any rest that night.

She was too busy mulling over what Uncle Qrow had said.

* * *

Morning had come to Mountain Glenn, the sun's rays peeking through the ruins. There was a nip in the air, turning the morning dew cold.

Weiss unzipped her bag, yawning as she stretched, a few of her bones popping. She got up with a rustling of cloth and a tired groan, standing up, before noticing that Ruby's bag was unoccupied, her cloak left there. A quick touch told her the bag was cold. Ruby had been gone a while.

She frowned, a mix of unease and curiosity pervading her mind. This was very, very unlike Ruby. She'd never get up early, and certainly not of her own accord. Unless, of course, she hadn't slept.

It took her only a few seconds to find the footprints in the dust coating the ground, which she followed, careful not to wake her team. The gravel crunched under her boots as she trudged through the wasteland, which was eerily quiet. There was normally some noise, always from the Grimm, echoing through its concrete depths.

Off to the left, she saw it. Blood, splattered all over what used to be some sort of shop. From here, the footsteps were accompanied by little droplets of blood. Whose, Weiss didn't know. She picked up the pace.

There was more blood. As Weiss kept moving, there was more, and more, and more...

She found Ruby standing over a dying Ursa, panting. She was covered in blood. Her scythe was dripping with the stuff, stained with it. Crescent Rose's gun cracked as she finished the Grimm off. She popped the magazine out, loading a new one in, before continuing down the road, not seeming to notice Weiss.

"Ruby. Hey! Ruby!"

The girl in question stopped, before turning around. The normally cheerful girl's face was grim, her mouth in a thin line.

"What."

"Why are you up so early? And have you been killing Grimm?" Weiss asked in her usual tone, albeit with a little concern.

"Yes." Ruby answered briefly, before continuing on her way.

"Bu-Where are you going? What's wrong?" Weiss called after her.

"Anywhere but here." Ruby sighed. "Listen, Weiss. It's better if you go back to camp and forget this ever happened. You don't need to worry about me."

Weiss was incredulous. "Ruby. I know you think you can handle whatever it is that's happening on your own. But I'm your partner! And as your partner, I feel I have a right to know what's going on so I can help!"

The ghost of a smile appeared on Ruby's face. "And I suppose if I refuse, you'll bug me about it forever?"

"Yes!"

"Alright." Ruby sat down next to Weiss on the curb, before looking at her partner. "Did I ever tell you about my Mom?"

"No."

"She was a great mom, and inspired me to a become a huntress. Summer Rose, her name was. Baker of cookies and slayer of monsters." Ruby smiled wistfully. "I didn't know what I had. I always used to worry when she went on missions, about if she'd come back or not. And one day… she didn't. We- we didn't even have a body to bury."

The tears started to flow, leaving trails in the dust on her face.

"And- and I just remember standing there waiting for her to come back but she didn't and I waited and I waited and she never came back because she was dead but I wouldn't believe it, couldn't believe it and-"

She was interrupted by Weiss' arms wrapping around her, giving her a comforting hug. She flinched, startled, before relaxing into her embrace. Ruby's body trembled, the sobs shaking her small frame violently.

"It's okay Ruby… it's okay." Weiss said soothingly, before moving out of the hug. "But… if you don't mind me asking, what got you thinking about this?"

"It's Uncle Qrow. He knows something about how she died, but wouldn't tell me."

"Then talk to him. Tell him how you've been feeling, and then he'll open up. I'm sure of it."

"Okay." Ruby smiled. "I- You're a great partner. Thanks for that."

"What are friends for?"

* * *

It was noon. The sun was fully visible now, and the rest of Team RWBY had woken up. There was a can of soup over the fire, while Yang and Blake sat around it. Qrow hadn't emerged from his tent, and Weiss and Ruby were still off somewhere. Blake wasn't all too worried, but Yang was worried sick.

So imagine her response when Ruby showed up soaked in blood. Yang was on her in an instant,

"Areyouhurtwherewereyouwhatwereyoudoingwhy'reyou-"

"Yang. I'm fine." Ruby giggled. "I've grown up, Yang. I think I can look after myself."

"Aww, but you'll always be my little sister! C'mere!" Yang grabbed Ruby, much to her chagrin.

"Yang! No! Stop!" Her cries of indignation carried off into the ruins, as the rest of team RWBY laughed.

* * *

It was another night in Mountain Glenn, and Qrow still hadn't emerged from his tent.

Ruby found him laying there, flask empty, tired but awake.

"Uncle Qrow?"

"Yeah?" The sheer… defeated tone to his voice shocked Ruby. It was a side of him she'd never seen before.

"I wanted… I wanted to ask you about mom."

"I already said no."

"But-"

"Ruby. I. Said. No." She felt anger building up in her, surprising even herself when she yelled,

"So what if you said no! So what if you don't want to tell me! I've spent too many years without knowing what happened to mom, and I _refuse_ to spend any more! I-"

"Okay, okay!" Qrow was wide awake, his hand on her shoulder. His expression was shocked.

"I'll tell you…" He sighed. "I'll tell you everything."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Sorry if updates have been a little sporadic, ran into some writer's block. But I think I'm in good shape for the next batch of chapters. The next one's going to be a doozy. Let me know what you think in a review. I'm always looking for ways to make this story better. Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed!**

 **Over and out!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Qrow didn't really know anyone when he started out at Beacon besides his sister.

Vale truly was another world, but he and Raven intended to stick together, navigate Beacon as family. That was something they intended to do when they entered the academy, and what they intended to do for the rest of their tenure there. It would allow them to try understanding this strange new place together, and to support each other. It would also allow Raven's semblance of good fortune to cancel Qrow's out, his being misfortune. It would work perfectly.

Of course, that changed drastically when headmaster Oswald announced the partnering system, and Qrow landed in the Emerald Forest, alone. His sister had flown off somewhere, and they'd both lost each other.

His eyes flitted about. He needed to find his sister, or else-

A bush next to him rustled, as a rather small girl in a white cloak came through the foliage. Qrow took a minute, noticing her shoulder length red hair and, oddly enough, silver eyes…

Wait! Shi-

"Oh hello! Didn't see you there!" The girl said cordially, smiling at Qrow. She walked up to him, emphasizing the difference in height. She had to be a head and a half shorter than him. "So, I guess we're partners then?"

Qrow sighed internally. "Yeah…" He averted his eyes, toying with his pendant nervously.

"Oh! Where are my manners! I'm Summer. Summer Rose. And you?"

"Qrow…"

"Nice to meet you, Qrow!"

* * *

"Qrow Branwen, Raven Branwen, Taiyang Xiao Long, and Summer Rose. Together, you will be Team STRQ, led by Summer Rose."

A polite applause filled the auditorium. Summer seemed shocked, but overjoyed at her role, Raven less so. It was obvious she felt she deserved the role more, but she, being the quiet person she was, said nothing.

Qrow looked at his new team. He saw his sister, a reckless, naive girl, and a pompous womanizer. He sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day. It wasn't going to work.

* * *

And yet, it did. Team STRQ became Beacon's top team, rising through the ranks at a rate that even headmaster Oswald said he'd never seen before. Raven warmed up to Vale, and no longer had the same cold, aloof attitude towards her teammates. Taiyang matured, becoming more of a soft-spoken person, though this did nothing to his luck with the ladies. Summer became more experienced, proving herself to be the leader Oswald had said she would be.

As for Qrow? He wasn't really sure what had changed with him. Perhaps it was learning to let go of his memories of the tribe. Perhaps it was learning to work with others. Yeah… that was it. For the first time, he had what he would actually call a family, not the band of thieves he'd called that. He felt… at home. He and Summer had began to grow close.

As STRQ graduated, things began to change. The missions became dangerous… deadly. They learned all sorts of secrets that Oswald had kept from them: the maidens, the relics, and all sorts of things. STRQ became one of the strongest forces in Remnant, pushing back the Grimm with their combined might and tactical prowess.

Taiyang and Raven started a family together, not to anyone's surprise. Qrow had seen it coming even from their third year. He supposed they were settling down, retiring. They all were. The fiery days of their youths were starting to fall behind them.

It was a cold Autumn day in Patch when Summer approached him by the cliff.

"Hey, Qrow…" She said, the leaves crunching under her feet as she walked up to him, her sword at her hip.

"Summer." he said gruffly, not moving his gaze away from the sunset.

"You hear about Raven and Taiyang? Who'd have thought, huh?"

He chuckled to himself. "No, no. They've been dancing around each other for ages. I've been waiting for them to just get it over with, and here they have."

They were silent for a while, both watching the sun over the waves, turning the sky all sorts of shades of orange.

"Qrow?"

"Mm?"

She looked at him, her silver eyes meeting his crimson. She bit her lip.

"What are your thoughts… on-" Summer swallowed nervously. "Oh, screw it. I've never been good at this stuff."

Qrow was startled by the small arms wrapping around his body, before he felt her lips against his. She smelled sweet, like vanilla or cherry blossoms.

She pulled back, a blush on her cheeks. She smiled.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that."

The next few months passed in a flash. Raven and Taiyang's child was born, and ultimately Qrow and Summer followed suit.

Little Ruby Branwen, with eyes just like her mother's, that unusual silver.

* * *

Something happened. Qrow wasn't sure what. But that didn't change what had happened.

Raven was gone. She'd left in the middle of the night, no note, nothing. She left behind a confused Yang and a devastated Taiyang. Without Raven, the Xiao Long family was fractured, but Qrow noticed something else.

It started off gradually, little things. Plates and glasses falling and breaking at random, the occasional dropped plate of cookies from Summer. It didn't seem to matter too much. But then it got worse when a shelf almost fell on Ruby. If it weren't for Summer's quick thinking, then he wasn't sure what would've happened. It took that for Qrow to realise what was going on. Without Raven around, his semblance was no longer kept in check. It wouldn't be long before someone got hurt… or worse.

Qrow needed to get away. And so, the following morning, he contacted an old friend.

* * *

The gears of Beacon's clock tower turning were the only sound in the room.

Oswald tapped his cane against the floor before clearing his throat.

"I'm sorry Qrow, but do you really want to?"

"Come out of retirement? Yes."

Oswald raised an eyebrow, stroking his white beard. "Will the rest of your team be doing the same? You haven't had a mission without your team for as long as I can remember, and especially not on such a long one."

"No. I'll be doing this solo. And I'll be fine. My semblance will make this a hell of a lot easier."

The headmaster nodded, begrudgingly. "Very well. I have an inkling that Salem has begun to act. You'll be in the Grimmlands for the next six months. But… I am aware you have a daughter to care for. Are you trul-"

"Yes. I'm sure." Qrow said, with a finality that told the wizened old man in front of him not to press the issue any further.

* * *

He found her at Taiyang's house. Yang, now 4, was laughing, the small girl running around the yard, Summer chasing after her.

"Hey Qrow! I think she likes me!"

Qrow said nothing, walking up to her and taking both her hands. She frowned.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yeah… um..." he was fighting to find the right thing to say. "I'm gonna go away… for a while. I'm gonna be on a mission for six months."

"What? Why? Qrow, we have a life here, together. I need you here with me."

He patted her shoulder reassuringly. "It'll be okay. Only six months, after all."

Her expression softened. "All right. I suppose it'll be fine. I trust you." She gave him a peck on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

Qrow strapped himself in as the Bullhead's engines began to whine.

"Bye, Qrow! Say goodbye, Ruby!" Summer said.

The toddler waved at him from the platform. He waved back, mouthing _I love you_ to both his daughter and his wife, before the bullhead taking off, his only family fading off into the distance.

* * *

Qrow was back. It'd been long, far longer than he'd expected. He wasn't sure how long, since his scroll had broken early on through the mission. He arrived in Patch during a winter's night, snow covering the landscape.

He noticed people pointing at him and whispering, scurrying off as he looked at them. That was odd. He noticed some of his neighbors looking at him through their windows. In particular, he noticed someone next to them. They were a young man, looking curiously at him through the window. Strange. He remembered they'd had a pre-teen son. Wait…

Just how long had he been gone?

Oh, shit.

He picked up the pace to a jog. As his mind began to race, he went faster, and faster, the world blurring around him as he ran as fast as he could through Patch, his aura-enhanced speed kicking up snow and dust behind him. His house came into view. He knocked on the door.

It opened, a sleepy Summer answering the door, rubbing her eyes.

"Who…?" she asked, looking at his face, before realisation set in. She was wide awake now.

"Summer. It's been a while."

"Oh no…" she whispered, backing up a few steps, a horrified expression on her face.

"Summer, what?"

Qrow noticed Taiyang descending the stairs.

"Hey honey," he said, wrapping his arms around Summer's shoulders. "What's wrong?"

It took Qrow less than a second to notice the ring on his hand. It wasn't the wedding band from Raven. His eyes darted to Summer's hand. A matching ring. He felt a pang of dread in his stomach.

Taiyang looked up at his teammate. "Qrow?!" he said, shocked. "We thought you were dead!"

Qrow gasped, a desperate intake of air, before running off into the woods.

* * *

The houses of Patch raced by him, its occupants still staring at him with curious eyes. It all made sense now, all of it.

He stopped by a cliff, the same one Summer had confessed her feelings to him so many years ago. He collapsed to his knees. There was no dramatic cry of anguish, no monologue. He just began to sob.

Taiyang emerged from the woods behind him. He wasn't sure what to say. But that didn't matter. Qrow was the first to speak.

"You were always good with the ladies, weren't you, Tai?" He didn't turn around, only staring off into the sunrise. The night was coming to an end.

"Qrow… I-"

"What? You're sorry?" Qrow scoffed. "'Hey man, I married your wife, but I'm sorry.' Do you realise how stupid an apology for this is? An apology doesn't mean shit."

"It's just… I thought you were dead! We all did! We had a funeral and everything! You know how long you were gone? THREE. YEARS. Three years Qrow! Three years of-"

Taiyang was interrupted by the fist of his former teammate slamming into his face, spittle flying everywhere, before another fist followed.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" Qrow bellowed, unleashing blow after blow at his former teammate. Deep down, he kind of knew that it was no fault of Tai's. But he didn't care.

Taiyang blocked the next punch, before grabbing Qrow, the two teammates rolling down a hill. This wasn't like a spar where defeating the opponent is the goal. This was an ugly thing, where two men, one of them having lost everything, were trying their hardest to make each other hurt.

Tai roared in pain as Qrow's knee slammed into his groin, the fighter stumbling back before tripping over a log, knocking the wind out of him. He felt Qrow's boot ram into his chest.

"Stop! Please!"

They both obliged, recognizing Summer's voice. And there she stood, tears running down her face.

"I don't want to see my family hurt each other anymore." she said, her voice breaking.

Taiyang's expression softened. "Honey… I-"

"YOU DON'T GET TO CALL HER THAT!" Qrow roared. The normally quiet, aloof man was crying, sobs wracking his body. He stumbled backwards, off the cliff.

"Qrow!" Summer shouted, before seeing a small black bird flying off into the distance.

* * *

It was a week before she saw his face again, trudging up to the door of their house. Summer opened the door to her former teammate, his expression grim.

"Summer." he greeted, curtly. Nothing more was said as he continued into the house. Whatever bond they'd had before was gone. His demeanor made that clear.

Taiyang emerged from the kitchen. "Hey, Qrow-"

Qrow continued past him wordlessly, not even slowing down. There was someone he wanted to see. He found her playing with Yang, playing with little figures of famous hunters. He smiled for the first time in a week.

Little Ruby looked up at him. She was now a little girl, having grown quite a bit. "Who're you?" she asked. Her eyes lit up. "Ohhhh…"

Qrow felt the pure, unadulterated joy only a parent could.

"You're my Uncle Qrow! Daddy said you were away a really long time but now you're back!"

As the small girl hugged his leg, the meaning of her words set in. She thought her father was…

His already broken heart shattered. He looked up, so she wouldn't see the tears.

"Yeah… that's me. I'm your Uncle."

* * *

Summer was back in Oswald's office for the first time in years.

"Summer. It's been a while."

"It has…" There was none of the cheer in her voice from before Qrow had left, Oswald noted. She took a flask out of her cloak, taking a swig from it.

"You are by far the most gifted huntress I've ever had the honor of meeting. And now, we need you again, unfortunately. If Qrow's intelligence is correct…" he didn't miss her flinch at the name, "Salem is moving. We need you to stop her, and your eyes will be essential in doing so."

"Understood. But, what about my daughter- daughters. Will they be taken care of?"

"I've already spoken with your husband. He'll be okay caring for them while you're gone. But… I would recommend going with someone. This won't be easy. And you can feel free to decline. I understand if you want to, with your family to consider."

Qrow popped into her head. She quickly dismissed the thought. "No. I'll be fine. Alone."

* * *

It was late when Tai heard the door creak open, a familiar figure stepping into the silent house.

"Where's Summer?" Qrow asked, not bothering with a greeting of any kind.

"She left for another mission."

"Another?" Qrow asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. She's been… different since you… well, since you 'died.' Started drinking. Taking overly dangerous missions. I tried my best to help her get back to normal, and then we started talking more, and…" Taiyang sighed. "Listen, Qrow. For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Hm. I took the time to think a bit, and this is… really for the better. All I do is put everyone around me in danger."

"What? Don't say that, Qrow! You're a gre-"

"Yeah, don't give me that 'you're a great guy' bullshit." Qrow interrupted. "Before I left, my semblance almost killed Ruby. And that wouldn't be the last time. I bring misfortune everywhere, to everyone." Qrow laughed. "I'm just… kind of a bad luck charm, I guess."

"Qrow, please. You shouldn't beat yourself up. You should stay around, be part of the family, even if it is only as 'Uncle' Qrow."

"How did Ruby… you know?"

Tai sighed. "Ruby… doesn't really remember much of you. She started to call me papa a while after Summer moved in with me. So we went with it, because we didn't want her to live in her dead father's shadow her whole life. It's… something we planned to tell her when she got older. When she was mature enough to understand."

The room was silent for the next few minutes, Qrow mulling over the situation.

"Well I should be going, then. Good night, Tai."

"'Night, Qrow. Oh, and by the way, Summer wanted you to have this. It was hers." Taiyang held out a silver flask.

"I don't drink, but sure." Qrow took the flask, before shutting the door behind him.

Taiyang yawned, making his way upstairs, before something fell in the kitchen and shattered.

* * *

Ruby was speechless. "So… I'm your…?"

"Daughter? Yes. And Yang isn't your sister."

"Wow." she said, stunned. "But… what happened to mom?"

"I'm gettin' to that."

* * *

Summer never came back from her mission. Ruby, was, of course devastated. Tai just kind of… shut down, leaving the only functioning adult there Qrow.

Qrow did his best, but he wasn't exactly a very good family man. His semblance complicated things, and he couldn't exactly cook or clean all too well. Only thing he _could_ prepare well was one of those awful vacuum-sealed rations that he'd lived off of for six months before they ran out.

After a few weeks, he'd had enough. He was going to talk to the headmaster.

* * *

"Ah, Qrow. What brings you to Beacon?"

Qrow scowled at the man before him, now in a wheelchair. "Let's cut to the chase, Oswald. What happened to Summer?"

Oswald's cordial expression turned grim. "Let's go for a walk."

Beacon's grounds were empty, as they usually were at night. All its students were asleep.

Oswald sighed wistfully. "Bring back any memories, Qrow? It seems like yesterday when-"

"Oswald. I didn't come out here to chat." Qrow said, miffed. "I need you to tell me-"

"Yes, yes. I'm getting to that. Did you ever hear the name Salem before?"

"No. But-"

Oswald ignored him, continuing. "That was a rhetorical question. Of course you wouldn't know. She goes by many other names. The Grimm Witch, the Queen. But whatever you may call her, it doesn't change the fact that she is immensely powerful, and much older than you or I. Some people say she is the origin of all grimm herself. And like all grimm, she plots to destroy humanity. And like all grimm, she has a crippling weakness."

"The silver eyes." Qrow breathed.

"Yes. We offered Summer help on her mission, but she refused it. I tried to reach out to you, but she-" Oswald was interrupted by a violent coughing fit. As he brought his normally pristine white handkerchief away from his mouth, Qrow noticed the blood on it.

"Hey…!"

"Yes, Qrow. My days in this world are numbered now. Well, at least in this body. I've found a successor. Wonderful young man. I think his name was Ozpin?" The headmaster paused. "Qrow. Your daughter. She also has silver eyes, correct? I'd like you to train her."

"With all due respect, I refuse to have my daughter become another tool in your box, _headmaster_." Qrow spat out the title like rotten food.

"Whether you like it or not, Qrow, Salem will be after Ruby. I'd recommend you prepare her for it. Goodnight." With that, the old man wheeled himself away.

* * *

Qrow opened the door to Ruby's room. The small girl was laying in her bed, facing the wall, as she had been since the funeral.

"Hey, kiddo. Brought you dinner." Qrow said, laying the plate down on her dresser.

No response. He sat down on the edge of her bed, rubbing her shoulder reassuringly.

"Listen, I've never been good at this heart to heart stuff. But I don't think your mother would want to see you here, like this. But… I wanted to ask you something. Do you want to be a huntress? Like your mother? Because I can train you. If you want me to, meet me outside in fifteen minutes."

Still no response. Well, it was worth a try. He sighed, the springs of Ruby's bed creaking as he stood up, walking out of the room.

He was a man of his word, however, and he stood outside in the snow, waiting for his daughter to come out. Fifteen minutes passed. Nothing. He made to go in, when the door opened.

There Ruby stood, a fiery determination in her silver eyes. It reminded Qrow of Summer's eyes on a mission, or during a tournament.

He smirked. "All right. Let's begin."

* * *

"And that's all of it. Everything I've kept from you all these years. I planned to tell you when you were older, but you've waited long enough. As for Salem, she isn't exactly… public knowledge."

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"She's a secret. Truth is, Ruby, there's a lot in this world we don't tell the people about. Because the knowledge would be too much for Remnant to handle. Look, Ruby. I'm sorry about keeping all this from you. We just thought it'd be best to wait until you were more mature, but look at you." Qrow gestured to Ruby, a proud expression on his face. "A fine young huntress. You're more than ready."

"But what do I do now?" Ruby blurted, "Is my dad Taiyang Xiao Long, or Qrow Branwen? Is Yang my sister? Who is my family? Wh-"

"Ruby." Qrow's tone was soothing. "You family doesn't have to be yours by blood. Is my sister Yang's mom? No, Summer fills that role for her. Your family is whoever you want them to be." Qrow stopped, noticing the sunlight coming through the flaps of his tent. "Well, shucks. I think we missed your bedtime by a few hours. Good night, I guess?"

Ruby giggled. "'Night, …" she paused, her brow furrowing. "...Qrow." He didn't miss her dropping the "uncle" title.

Ruby exited the tent, taking with her what felt like decades of secrets left untold.

* * *

Roman Torchwick had had an uneventful week, to say the least. Despite Neo's constant warnings about the team of hunters-in-training nearby, along with Qrow Branwen himself, nothing much happened. Per Chroma's request, he'd refrained from sending White Fang to patrol, instead using Neo's stealth and espionage skills.

He spent his Mountain Glenn evening as he usually did: reading through reports. He, after all, had to make sure this plan of theirs went on smoothly.

"Hello Roman."

The criminal mastermind jumped, drawing Melodic Cudgel in a flash, before noticing who it was he was pointing a gun at. He sighed, lowering his weapon.

"Y'know Chroma, would it kill you to give a little warning next time?"

The murderer laughed, the helmet distorting it beyond recognition. "I've always had a flair for the dramatic. Something you can appreciate, no?"

Torchwick huffed. "What is it you want, anyways?"

"Everything's on schedule?" His tone grew a little less cordial. "You haven't been found out, have you?"

"No, no! Everything is running perfectly fine." the criminal said reassuringly.

"Good. I'll be tied up in Vale for the next month or two, so I've brought a friend of mine. Well 'brought' doesn't really describe it well, but whatever. Say hello to Rust."

Torchwick instantly drew his weapon when he heard the telltale mechanical hisses and whirs of an Atlesian Knight, but felt a gauntleted hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, Roman." The AK-130 stepped through the door. "Rust isn't exactly an ordinary operative. He works through machines."

"So… is he some kinda hacker?"

Chroma chuckled. "You could say that." The AK-130 nodded sagely. "Let's go, Rust."

The odd pair walked out of the room. Roman grimaced.

This was going to be a weird few weeks.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Aaaaand another chapter up. This one is the longest by far, roughly 4k words. A bit more of a flashback chapter than anything. I hope you enjoyed. And be sure to leave a review to tell me what you think. I'd like to know about any ways to improve this story.**

 **Over and out!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Beacon was quiet, most students in their respective classes. Qrow and Ozpin walked amongst its halls, their footsteps tapping against the stonework.

"So you found nothing?" Ozpin asked, his tone inquisitive.

"No," the signal professor responded. "Mountain Glenn was empty. Guess the grimm were just a coincidence, huh?"

"I wouldn't think so. It may very well be." Ozpin stopped, leaning forwards on his cane. "Or whatever's there is very well hidden. But I doubt blindly sending a search party in would be the best decision. There is the festival to tend to, after all. And I believe it would be the wrong move to divert any manpower from its security."

"So what can I do?"

"For the time being? Nothing. It's best we bide our time, allow our enemy to make the first move, so as not to make a misstep. Although..." The headmaster stroked his chin. "There actually is something you can do. I'd like you to watch over team RWBY during the Vytal Festival. In particular… your daughter."

"And why's that?" Qrow asked, a bit quickly. Ozpin didn't miss the present, if subtle, defensive tone the man's voice took on. Curious… he'd tried to distance himself from his child before. Had something happened? Nevertheless, there were more important things to think about. That could wait.

"If these people are after the Maiden's power… well… I know you'll dislike this, but your daughter is simply too valuable of an asset to be put in harm's way." Ozpin noted Qrow's expression changing to one of distaste. Again with the sudden change in principle. He'd have to look into this. "Make sure she stays safe," he continued, "but keep yourself hidden. The element of surprise will give us a great advantage. And also… be sure to keep dear Ironwood in the dark about this, would you please? I doubt he would appreciate us moving as subtly as we are, and go for a more… direct approach."

"Understood. And you're sure you'll keep my nie- daughter out of harm's way?"

Ozpin weighed the options in his mind. Telling the truth would certainly be the right thing to do, but would turn Qrow against him, losing him one of his most valuable strategical pieces. However, he was due to find out eventually when Miss Rose's role in the game would come into play. He made his decision in less than a second.

"Qrow. Have I let you down in all these years?"

The headmaster placed a hand on his old friend's shoulder reassuringly. He smiled.

"Of course she'll be safe."

* * *

The missions had ended nearly a week ago, and teams JNPR and RWBY were both exchanging stories about their experiences.

"...and then everything exploded! But Ren and I-"

"Nora. I think the mission went a little differently." the green clad huntsman interrupted, putting a hand on his partner's shoulder. Ren looked up, turning his attention to Team RWBY.

"We had a pretty quiet assignment over in a village outside Vale. Nothing special really. Just a few Grimm. And," Ren said, smiling at the hyperactive girl next to him. "No explosions. Not any big ones, anyhow. So, how did your mission go, if I might ask?"

The conversation continued, but Blake had her attention drawn away by a finger tapping her shoulder. Turning around, she noticed one of MITH's members. Thistle, she believed her name was, and oddly alone.

"Come with me. I need to talk to you!" The normally quiet girl hissed. Strangely enough, Blake noted, she was alone, with no signs of her team anywhere. Come to think of it, they hadn't really been around. Blake nodded, getting up from the table and following the girl into Beacon's hallways.

* * *

As they both walked through the deserted classrooms, Blake noticed a few more things about the person she was with. Thistle seemed very on edge, her eyes darting around the room rapidly, as if scanning for something… or someone.

"I think we'll be fine here." She said. It was the first time Blake had heard her speaking voice. She'd always been eating anytime Blake saw her.

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" Blake asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well…" Thistle's eyes were on the floor. She was fidgeting with the edge of her pocket nervously. "It's my team. Something's happened, and I'm not sure what."

Blake's interest was piqued, her expression curious.

"We were pretty close for most of the year. I'd like to think we were a pretty good team. But Marcoh and Iron have sort of… distanced themselves. It's like they're a separate team living in the same dorm. Hong's trying desperately to make it work, bless his heart, but it's not. I've noticed Marcoh goes out late at night, doing… something. I'm not sure what." Thistle looked up, her expression desperate. "So that's what I wanted to ask you about. Can you see what he's up to?"

Blake nodded. "I can… but if you don't mind me asking, why can't you?"

"He'll notice instantly if I get up and follow him. I'm not exactly the most subtle person, but I've been told you are. So… can you do it? Can you help me?"

"Yeah, sure."

* * *

And help her she did.

Blake stalked Beacon's halls, her footsteps silent despite the hard marble flooring. She scanned the surroundings, checking for any movement, occasionally looking behind her to check for a teacher. She wasn't exactly supposed to be out this late. Her team'd throw a fit if they knew, but she'd learned to be a little more quiet after what happened with Yang previously.

She rounded a corner. No sign of Marcoh at all. He hadn't been in his dorm when she checked the window, so she assumed he'd already left. It was eerily quiet, the normally brightly lit halls of Beacon dark. She could see perfectly, of course, but that didn't change her feelings about her surroundings. Something was off putting about the night.

"Didn't expect to see you up this late."

Blake jumped what must have been five feet backwards, her hand going towards her weapon, only to realise it wasn't there. She stood up, recognising Marcoh's face.

"I should say the same of you. What was it you're doing out here right now?"

"Oh, just enjoying the night. It's kind of nice. The silence. And nobody to meddle in your affairs." He smiled, but something was… off about it, for lack of a better word. "And how about you, Blake? What exactly is it you're doing at this hour?"

"The same thing, I suppose."

"Hmph." He didn't sound convinced, yet that smile never wavered, nor did his eyes leave hers. "Well, I'm bushed. I think it's time I go to bed. I recommend you do the same." Marcoh showed no signs of fatigue. He turned to go leave, Blake doing likewise.

"Oh, and Blake?"

She turned, saying nothing, but meeting his eyes.

"We've got a saying where I'm from." He gave her that same unsettling grin. "'Curiosity killed the cat.'"

With that, he left. Blake didn't relax until he left, his body rounding a corner. Her heart was pounding, her eyes wide. Did he know? How did he know? And more importantly… how had he snuck up on her like that? The hallway had been empty behind her, and there were no doors. There was simply no way he was that quiet. It was like he'd teleported. And most disturbingly of all… most wouldn't pick it up. He'd gone to massive lengths to mask it, that much was clear. But with her keen faunus senses, she smelled it.

He smelled of blood.

* * *

Team RWBY's dorm was unusually tranquil, the two more rowdy members having left for Vale to do some shopping. Only Weiss and Blake, far more reserved, were left, the former studying.

"Hey Weiss?"

"Hm?"

"Have you noticed anything… unusual about Marcoh?"

Weiss stopped, putting down her pen, and looking at Blake, perplexed. "No I have not. Why is it you ask?"

"Just wondering."

Weiss sighed. "Is it that suspicion of MITH coming up again? Because I can assure you they're fine. In fact, I just went out for lunch with Marcoh earlier today, and he seemed normal enough." She smiled, her expression fond.

Blake sighed internally. This wasn't going anywhere. It was clear that even if anything unusual _had_ happened, Weiss was looking at Marcoh with rose-tinted goggles, and as a result wouldn't have noticed it.

She needed to look elsewhere.

* * *

Blake was the only one awake in Team RWBY's dorm.

Weiss was peacefully asleep, Ruby was mumbling to herself, and Yang's snoring overwhelmed any other sounds in the room.

As much as she would've liked to, she couldn't sleep like the rest of her team. Her mind was on other things.

Team MITH. The more she thought about it, the more strange it seemed. Despite how she felt about him initially, Marcoh seemed like a perfectly nice guy, and a week ago she was totally fine with Weiss spending time around him. He fit her, and fit them.

But something was different about him the night before. This sort of… sinister air was about him. It was like he was a different person. And he seemed to know about her heritage, something she'd neglected to tell him. It didn't add up, not at all.

Unless, of course, what she'd seen until the other night was a facade for something far darker. What it could be, she wasn't entirely sure. And why would someone like that be at Beacon? What purpose would it serve?

And there was also Iron's distancing himself from the team as well. She didn't know him too well, and wasn't sure how he fit into the situation either. Well, nobody knew him very well. He didn't exactly talk.

She made a decision. She would talk to Ozpin.

* * *

"Headmaster?"

Blake had snuck off during her lunch break to speak with the man about Marcoh. She hoped it'd be worth it.

The man in question turned around, an inquisitive tone to his voice. "Miss Belladonna. What was it you wanted?"

"I… I'd like to speak with you about something." Blake did a double take, making sure the halls were empty. "Alone."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Very well then. Follow me."

They were in his office now, Blake seated before the headmaster's rather expensive looking desk.

"So… what was it you wanted to speak with me about?" Ozpin asked, a cordial expression on his face as he leaned forwards on his cane.

Blake frowned, her eyes on the floor. "It's… it's one of the exchange students. He's been… I don't know how to describe it. There's something suspicious about him."

"How so?"

"He's been up late, distancing himself from his team. And when one of his team members told me about it, I went to confront him about it. It was like… he was a different person." Blake looked up, expecting to see a dismissive expression on the headmaster's face. But he looked troubled.

"Hm. Curious. If you see any more strange behavior, do let me know. Anything more… concrete would be most helpful."

"Helpful with what?"

Ozpin paused, albeit briefly, but Blake noticed him fighting for what to say. "With the sudden flood of exchange students into Beacon it would be rather easy to slip in amongst the crowd, don't you think? And with the festival around the corner, it's more important than ever to keep vigilant. Thank you and good day, Miss Belladonna."

"Hm." Blake nodded, making her way towards the door. What Ozpin said didn't add up in her mind. While security would certainly be important during such a large event as the Vytal Festival, the exchange students would be the last place to look. No… he wasn't telling her something. He was looking for someone hidden in the student body. If he wanted to do it through her, it was something secret. It was something dangerous.

That made it all the more important for her to find out if her suspicions were true.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **And there's chapter 8 up. You may notice that not as much happened in this chapter, since it serves as more of a setup chapter and a segue into the Vytal Festival storyline. As always, if you have any thoughts, criticisms, please leave a review. If there's any suggestions you have to inprove my writing I'd certainly like to hear them.**

 **Over and out!**


	9. An Explanation

**Hey everyone! It's been, suffice to say, some time since my last upload. As much as I wish I had some legitimate reason for the delay, I simply forgot about the story due to school and other, more important things. But after some thinking, I've decided that while this story isn't terrible, I've improved enough where I could do much better. So, I'm dropping it. I may rewrite this, or move on to another story. I don't intend to quit FF, but it may be a while until my next upload.**

 **Over and out!**


End file.
